Monsanto says all its biotech products subjected to rigorous testing

Santiago City, Isabela, Philippines —Biotech firm Monsanto Philippines, Inc. has given its assurance that all new biotech products it will launch will be subjected to rigorous trials and will comply with the requirements of Philippine regulatory bodies.

In a forum sponsored by the Philippine Agricultural Journalists, Inc. (PAJ) and Monsanto, company officials said the company is developing products that seek to improve farmers’ incomes as well as protect the environment.

“All the products we have developed resulted from research that complied with Philippine regulatory protocols. Monsanto is not exempt from the stringent requirements imposed by regulatory bodies,” said Monsanto corporate affairs lead Charina Ocampo during the forum held Wednesday night.

Among the products being eyed by the company for introduction in the Philippines is a corn variant that can fight corn borer, cutworm, and earworm. In 15 years, the company may venture into climate-ready crops.

The corn seed variant that can fight a number of pests will be marketed under the brand Yield Gard (Yield Gard 2). The company is seeking approval for it.

“It takes a long time for us to introduce new products to the market because of the rigorous process we observe, from research to field trials, to ensure a product’s safety,” said Ocampo.

She noted that the company’s regulatory protocols have been established in 1990 by Executive Order no. 430 issued by the late President Corazon Aquino.

Meanwhile, Monsanto Philippines clarified that Bt Brinjal or Bt eggplant is not a product of Monsanto.

Ocampo stressed that the company is also not in partnership with Mahyco, the Indian seed and biotech firm that  developed Bt eggplant.

She noted that Bt Brinjal or Bt eggplant has been indigenously developed by Mahyco, in collaboration with public institutions.

“Monsanto’s association with Mahyco is restricted only to the extent of a minority stake of 26 percent in the company, through Monsanto Holdings Pvt. Ltd. (MHPL),” said Ocampo. MHPL is a 100 percent subsidiary of Monsanto Co., USA.

Monsanto is one of the world’s leading providers of agricultural products and solutions to farmers. The company has over three decades of presence in the Philippines and is involved today in the promotion of modern agricultural biotechnology.